Today is Labor Day -- a day to celebrate America's workers. Though our country has celebrated Labor Day for more than a century as an official national holiday, a day to honor those who work to build America. Unfortunately there hasn't been much to celebrate for Labor Day lately, with the middle class gutted and income inequality at its greatest since 1928.
But today -- Labor Day 2008 -- workers' rights advocacy group American Rights at Work is taking to the airwaves with a $5 million national TV ad campaign for the Employee Free Choice Act.
Watch our ad, titled "See Saw," and chip in if you like it.
You can see the ad -- part of a $5 million effort -- on CNN and MSNBC, and in 7 states: Alaska, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, and Oregon. The state-based ads will focus on educating the public on the positions’ of political leaders, and urging the public to call them to express their support for the legislation in the Senate.
The Employee Free Choice Act is a bill that will take on the critical issues facing America’s struggling middle class by making it easier for people to form or join a union. One of the main aims of the bill is to bring back balance to the workplace; right now, even if 100% of your coworkers wanted to join a union, your CEO could veto your decision. What the Employee Free Choice Act does is take away CEOs' veto power, giving workers a free choice to have a union if they want it.
It passed the House last year and got 51 votes in the Senate before it was blocked by a Republican filibuster (a vote for which John McCain actually showed up...to vote against the bill).
Our ad campaign also comes out to set the record straight in response to anti-union, corporate-funded front groupsstopping at nothing to mislead the American public about the Employee Free Choice Act. The corporate special interests that are against improving workers’ standard of living do not represent a majority of the public. A poll released last week by the nonpartisan Drum Major Institute found that 68 percent of middle class Americans wish their member of Congress had voted in favor of the bill.
We need the Employee Free Choice Act because we need more America to have more union members. When unions are strong, the economy is strong. Not only do unions you the ability to negotiate in your workplace, but they lift up even those who aren't union members. And get this: if you have a heart attack, you're 5.5% more likely to survive if your nurse is a union member.
So this Labor Day, take the time to reflect on America's workers, past and present, and how they've helped our country. Then get ready to help make our economy work for everyone again byjoining our campaign for the Employee Free Choice Act. (And if you like our ad, chip in to help keep it on the air.)
Also posted at FireDogLake